Jay Curley, baby Sienna-Lynn, and Joseph Sopiwnyk wore red ribbons and came out to BIMFC's World AIDS Day event.  (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day marked in North Battleford with community event

Dec 1, 2023 | 5:21 PM

In the heart of the Battlefords Metis Indian Friendship Centre on what would have been Matthew Shepard’s 47^th birthday, the details of the aftermath of his now 25-year-old murder play out in the Laramie Project screening.

The film was the centrepiece of this year’s World AIDS Day come-and-go style event hosted in partnership with Battleford River Treaty 6 Health Centre (BRT6HC), the Friendship Centre, and Communities Alliances and Networks (CAAN) under this year’s theme “Let Communities Lead.” The day also kicks off Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week.

“We’re just gathered here today for World AIDS Day, which is just a time when citizens around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and also to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the beginning of the pandemic,” said Cymric Leask, HIV project coordinator at Battleford Family Health Centre.

Speaking to community members who turned out, she presented a list of facts about what is happening in the province and spoke to the sigma and misunderstanding surrounding the virus and the subsequent acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

“18.2 per cent of new HIV cases in Canada are among Indigenous peoples. (Over 22 per cent) of all new HIV cases are among people who inject drugs. (Around 32 per cent) of all new HIV cases are among females and (nearly 34 per cent) per cent of all new HIV cases are through heterosexual sex,” Leask said noting that is increasing from years past.

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In 2021, there were 237 new cases in Saskatchewan, which represents a record number in the country and according to Community AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE), it has roughly four times the national rate (3.8) per capita (per 100,000).

“They think that it specifically affects gay men, they think that it maybe only affects people that inject drugs, and they don’t really think that it affects them,” she said.

“But we’re seeing more and more that is affecting everyone here in one way or another whether it’s themselves or people that they love and care about.”

In the Battlefords region, there is an intersection of clients that use the clinic’s services. While there are clients with HIV or at-risk clients coming in, there are also several clients with Hepatitis B, C, and syphilis. When it comes to treatment, what used to take upwards of dozens of pills a day is now down to only a couple and with regular use, people can live a normal life.

“You can have normal relationships, you can have unprotected sex with people, it won’t transmit, you can have babies, without transmitting it to baby,” she said, in an interview.

“It’s just finding the people that have it and making sure that they have access to those medications – you know – a big part in Saskatchewan, it’s hard to get access to medications all the time, so that’s kind of a barrier that we’re facing a lot of time.”

For Frederick Derkach who works with Harm Reduction, it’s a matter of support and expanding knowledge. He explained community events like the one held for World AIDS Day opens people’s eyes.

“People contract a disease, not outwardly or wanting to and it can turn out to be HIV or AIDS,” he said, noting there needs to be more compassion.

Education is also key to combatting the stigma.

“They’re the same as you and me. It has to be blood transfers and you’re not going to get that from talking to somebody or holding their hand or giving them a hug and that’s all people need,” said Derkach.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @jls194864